- Trochalopteron squamatum
Identification
22 - 25cm. A robust, medium-sized laughingthrush.
- Dark brown plumage finely scaled with black overall
- Prominent black supercilium
- Whitish eye
- Rufous-chestnut and black wings with silver-blue trim on primaries
- Broad dark tail with chestnut tip
Males are colder brown with broader scales, females more rufescent. Juveniles more rufescent than female with weak scaling above and none below.
Similar species
Scaly Laughingthrush is more olive overall with prominent yellow in wings and tail.
Distribution
Found in the Himalayas from central Nepal east to Bhutan, northeast India, western and northern Burma, south China (Yunnan) and northwest Vietnam.
Generally uncommon in its range.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Also placed in the genus Garrulax.
Habitat
Dense understorey and undergrowth in more open broadleaf evergreen forest, secondary growth, scrub and bamboo. Often near streams. Found at 900m to 2440m, locally lower.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects, berries and seeds.
Forages close to the ground in dense cover. Skulking and hard to see. Usually in pairs or small groups.
Breeding
Breeding season from April to July. The nest is a bulky cup made of dry bamboo or other leaves, creepers, tendrils, fine twigs, grasses, roots and moss. It's placed around 1.5m above the ground in a bush or tangle of creepers. Lays 2 - 4 eggs. Brood parasitism by Chestnut-winged Cuckoo reported.
Resident species with some dispersal to lower elevations in winter.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422
- Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Blue-winged Laughingthrush. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blue-winged_Laughingthrush
